


Steadily Sprouting

by SEpupppupp (ForNought)



Category: Produce 101 (TV)
Genre: Camping, M/M, ant bites, campfire tension, it would be glamping if they don't have any food, they almost starve to death but it isn't dramatic at all
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-05
Updated: 2017-07-05
Packaged: 2018-11-28 06:24:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11412117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForNought/pseuds/SEpupppupp
Summary: The Yuehua kids go camping and Euiwoong is kind of cool.





	Steadily Sprouting

**Author's Note:**

  * For [minhyungie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/minhyungie/gifts).



> i don't know a thing about camping.

Hyungseob had been foolish when he assumed the tent allocation was in his favour. Seunghyuk had seemed genuinely kind when he suggested that the group split into a tall team and a short team.

Hyungseob remembered being giddy with joy that the three taller members of the group had volunteered to all squeeze into the same tent. Hyungseob and Euiwoong, the former delightfully compact and the latter short, would be luxuriating in space and there was much less of them.

Seunghyuk was much craftier than Hyungseob had ever assumed.

“That tent is really big,” Hyungseob said.

Euiwoong only grumbled some half-reply as he hammered the pegs of their own pokey little tent into the hard ground.

“We were tricked. Duped. The wool was pulled over our eyes,” Hyungseob lamented. “This isn't the short team at all. We were divided into the rich team and the poor team!”

“Don't be ridiculous,” Seunghyuk smirked from the entrance to the Palace beside the moth-eaten thing Euiwoong’s dad had donated.

Hyungseob wasn't being ridiculous. The other tent had assembled itself and Hyungseob was certain that the reason he hadn't seen Jungjung and Justin was because their tent was somehow air conditioned. If Hyungseob’s parents were rich to the point of silliness, maybe they would have forced him to go to an even harsher school and made him study even harder so that he would have enough of a brain to not get tricked by Choi Seunghyuk.

Hyungseob had shot himself in the foot by making everyone swear against tent swapping. He was trapped with Euiwoong, living like an animal for the best part of a week and it was his own fault.

“Hyung, will you at least help me put our tent up?” Euiwoong asked, sweaty and exasperated.

Hyungseob couldn't help pouting.

“Why can't this tent assemble itself?”

Apparently that was the wrong thing to say and Euiwoong’s temper flared. That was bound to happen when you were resigned to slumming it in the late summer heat with mosquitoes and all sorts of other creepy crawlies biting despite the application of insect repellent. Hyungseob had used most of Euiwoong’s supply of insect repellent before they all piled out of the van - a necessary precaution which had paid off, because only one member of the short team was angrily scratching at his neck as he stormed into the woodland.

“Can you not be a bit more helpful?” Seunghyuk grinned as he adjusted his gaudy sunhat.

 

It took Hyungseob a very long time to assemble the tent, even with Jungjung and Seunghyuk's assistance. After they were done, he was red and sticky and he wanted nothing more than to crawl into the other tent.

“Where are you going, Seoppie?” Jungjung asked very seriously.

“It's hot,” Hyungseob groaned weakly.

“But we all promised!”

Jungjung was a very earnest man. Normally it was sort of cute, but right now Hyungseob hated him. He looked at Seunghyuk but he wasn't expecting anything more than what he got.

“Jungjung-hyung is right. In fact, you made us all promise to stay out of the other team's tent.”

“That was-”

“No take-backsies,” Seunghyuk said, very maturely.

Hyungseob was very tired and hot and irritated. He wasn't one to misbehave, but he thought the other two (bullies) deserved him doling out some of his most horrid language.

“Shut up, both of you!”

Ordinarily, storming off could be very chic and dramatic. Ordinarily, Hyungseob was not suffering from sun exposure. He tripped several times before he was out of sight. It was difficult to ignore the snickers that followed as Hyungseob stumbled through the trees.

By the time Hyungseob could hear the soft and slow speech from Justin over the gentle splashes of the nearby river, Hyungseob had walked through multiple spider webs and fallen into an ants’ nest. The insect repellent wasn't doing much at all above the hemline of Hyungseob’s shorts. He scratched his thighs as his willpower broke and kept walking until he could see Justin standing over Euiwoong.

Justin seemed to be a favourite of Euiwoong’s. It must have been because he was actually the youngest and Euiwoong felt comfortable enough to fawn over him to his heart’s content. Justin was cute, in a way. He was always cuter when he was trying to act mature and tried to look out for other people. Euiwoong seemed to think so too by the soft smile on his face.

Hyungseob stepped closer, because he doubted he would see the expression too many more times this week.

“Hyung, I told you. Seob-hyung is here to apologise,” Justin announced.

Hyungseob absolutely was not here to apologise. Euiwoong knew well enough. He raised his eyebrows at Hyungseob and exhaled through his nose, apparently amused by Hyungseob’s silence. He turned back to face the gentle current.

When Euiwoong looked away, Hyungseob could finally scratch his legs again. The ants were biting too much considering how wonderful of a person Hyungseob was.

“Do your legs hurt, Hyung?” Justin asked.

“Not at all,” Hyungseob lied. His skin was getting more and more irritated and the heat only amplified the trillions of tickles from ants crawling over his skin. “I just came for a swim.”

The line of Euiwoong’s shoulders tensed, so he obviously had something to say about that. Normally he would have made a snide comment, but he was still sulking too much. Hyungseob could act haughty too! He very gracefully stripped off his shoes and socks and walked into the river.

The water was cool and refreshing, through the reflections from the ripples were almost blinding. That was all well and good, and the ants were probably drowning with each step Hyungseob took, but the mud squelching between his toes, and the weeds wrapping around his ankles, was making him cringe.

Wading through the water was getting increasingly difficult with the weight of his waterlogged clothes, especially under the blistering sunlight. This was probably a bad idea because he would have to walk back to his tent, only to be eaten alive by mosquitoes and snakes.

“Hyung, can't you swim?” Justin called out.

“This is swimming,” Hyungseob called back in mock cheer. Swimming was usually much more fun and much less gross. This wasn't worth it, considering he would be undoubtedly attacked by yet more creatures over the course of the trip.

Hyungseob could hear Justin muttering about Hyungseob’s apparent inability to swim. He could swim very well when not covered in bites. He would have defended himself if it didn't involve admitting that he had fallen into an ants’ nest in the first place.

His hopes of not having to admit to the accident wilted each time Hyungseob looked back at the shore to see Euiwoong and Justin, sitting comfortably on the grass and watching him struggle. Eventually he had to get out of the water. He slopped back to shore, the tickling and crawling on his skin much more absent than the stinging of his bites.

Justin, very rudely, lifted the sodden hem of Hyungseob’s shorts.

“What is this thing on your leg?”

Justin had a rather alarming way of phrasing things. The state of Hyungseob’s legs wasn't that bad. They were just red and swollen. But Euiwoong even looked concerned.

“What did you do?”

“Nothing!”

Euiwoong gave Hyungseob a disbelieving look. He was too responsible for his own good if he couldn't even sulk properly, and as he prodded at an especially itchy bump on Hyungseob’s leg, his face split into a wide grin.

“Hyung, you have been bitten!”

 

The entire way back to the campsite, Hyungseob had to put up with Euiwoong laughing about how useless his entire supply of insect repellent had been. Hyungseob was too hot and tired to point out that he hadn't put any on the tops of his thighs, because he was sure Euiwoong would have an impertinent retort for that too.

Euiwoong was in extremely high spirits when they arrived back at the tents, especially when he discovered the tent he had been struggling with was finally standing unaided.

Hyungseob wasn't sure why they were sitting inside the tent to treat his bites. Euiwoong and Justin had been happily laughing about it enough for the whole world to hear. He was thankful for the sympathy of Seunghyuk (who could apparently commiserate after once being stung by a bee three years ago) and Jungjung (until he attempted to kiss the bites better) who hadn't laughed. Everyone already knew about how unfortunate Hyungseob was and, after the kissing-it-better incident, everyone had seen his underwear too.

The tent smelled musty and Hyungseob could hear Seunghyuk and Justin making fun of Hyungseob’s underwear choices. If Hyungseob listened really closely, he could hear Euiwoong mentally doing the same. Verbally, he wasn't much kinder.

“Imagine if I had listened to that smart Hyung who told me to leave the first-aid kit at home,” Euiwoong pondered gleefully.

Hyungseob said nothing to that. He was busy concentrating on not squirming away from Euiwoong’s hands anyway. The methodical trailing of Euiwoong’s fingers over the bites was uncannily similar to the barely-there patter of miniscule footprints. No amount of concentration in the world was enough to prevent Hyungseob quivering at the tingling cool of the salve over his bites. Euiwoong’s careful smile grew with each blob he smoothed onto Hyungseob’s thighs, but even sensible little Euiwoong couldn't keep his mouth shut after a particularly violent shudder from Hyungseob.

“I will never be finished if you keep moving like that,” Euiwoong said.

“I can't help it. you are tickling me too much,” Hyungseob grumbled very maturely.

“It must have tickled even more when the ants were biting you.”

Hyungseob decided not to agree with that. He would rather leave the maddening sting in his memories of the past. He shrugged and Euiwoong poked him a little bit too high up on his leg.

“These bites are really spread out. Are you sure none of them are in your underpants?”

“Be quiet,” Hyungseob said, hoping that he was doing a halfway decent job of ignoring his furious blush. “If there are any bites there I can deal with them myself.”

“Oh? If that is true, surely you could have dealt with all of the others yourself too, Hyung!”

That was difficult to refute. He was just being a baby because he knew that Euiwoong was in a gregarious enough mood to indulge him. But he was embarrassed about it now and decided that getting rid of Euiwoong was for the best.

“Don't worry, I will guard the tent so nobody tries to sneak a look at all the ant bites on your bum,” Euiwoong said sombrely before Hyungseob half-heartedly threw a shoe at him.

When he was finally alone, Hyungseob allowed himself a moment of melodrama. He collapsed back onto his rucksack which had been leaking clothes onto the floor of the tent since he had been searching for something else to wear. He could look for something else to wear later. He had more pressing matters to think about.

Hyungseob was strange. Somehow he was letting Euiwoong get to him. There was no reason for him to be so conscious of Euiwoong. They had been around each other for so long, all five of them had become accustomed to each others’ habits and pet-peeves, but this camping trip had only just begun and was enough to highlight how many other ways there were to rile each other up.

Hyungseob was feeling extremely riled up and he had no idea how he was going to comfortably sleep beside Euiwoong for the next few nights.

 

*

 

Fishing was a fun activity. That was how they chose to think of it instead of focusing on the fact that Justin and Seunghyuk had eaten all of their snacks the night before. He tried to be glad about the fact that they still had ramen to eat, but it wasn’t much of a comfort when it seemed they were only left with that much because neither of the culprits was any good at building fires.

None of them were any good at building fires. After spending over an hour on cultivating a crackling smoulder and choking smoke, it turned out that none of them were able to eat the ramen. They couldn’t even get water to boil, as tired as they were after that eventful first day. They could all have done with some snacks to fill the gaping emptiness of their bellies. Instead, they went to sleep with rumbling tummies and frazzled nerves.

Hyungseob could be as annoyed as he liked but all it took for Justin to be forgiven was to thicken up his accent as he said that he was a growing boy. Jungjung instantly took to Justin’s side to reassure him and ask Euiwoong for some leniency. It was easy enough, and Seunghyuk was forgiven even more easily than that with a flippant declaration that he had been hungry.

If Hyungseob had been the one to eat the snacks there was no way he would have gotten away with it. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Seunghyuk and Justin splashing about in the river shallows while the rest of them attempted to bait their nets and the professional rod that Jungjung had brought along on a whim.

“Do you want to play, too, Seoppie?” Jungjung asked brightly, shading his eyes from the sun as he approached Hyungseob. his unbaited net was lying abandoned on the ground next to Euiwoong.

“No,” Hyungseob said.

Jungjung linked their arms together and dragged Hyungseob closer to the river bank, knocking the net out of Hyungseob’s hands and undoing all of the work he had been putting into holding it in the air and wasting time.

“Kids, we want to play with you!” Jungjung called out. Hyungseob absolutely did not want to play. Euiwoong looked over at the fuss Jungjung was making. He was the only one making an attempt to fish, holding Jungjung’s fishing rod steady as he patiently waited for a bite.

“You have to play somewhere else,” Euiwoong called over. Jungjung’s face fell and Euiwoong added, “You’ll frighten away the fish.”

“Ah, you’re right!” Jungjung said. He pulled at Hyungseob’s arm roughly. “Quickly. We can’t scare the fish!”

Hyungseob stumbled a bit. But he managed to stand his ground. “Shouldn’t we help?”

“Help?”

“Fishing,” Hyungseob said. “We all expect to eat the fish. Shouldn’t we help to catch them, Hyung?”

Jungjung pulled a face. He was a slave to whimsy.

Hyungseob sighed and smiled kindly at Jungjung. “Go and play with the kids. Take them a bit further away, please.”

Jungjung frowned and Hyungseob raised his finger to his lips and lowered his voice to add, “Remember, playing frightens the fish.”

“Ah! You’re right,” Jungjung agreed. He hugged Hyungseob and rushed off to herd Justin and Seunghyuk further downstream.

Euiwoong quickly looked back at the river. He was pretending not to have been listening, but the line of his shoulders was far too cheerful. Hyungseob sat beside Euiwoong. Euiwoong didn’t seem to be doing much of anything but there were three tiny fish swimming in the bucket beside him. He must have been doing something right. Hyungseob didn’t have a clue what it was that Euiwoong was doing.

“I didn’t know you could fish,” Hyungseob said conversationally. Euiwoong looked at him from the corner of his eye and returned to focusing on his task. He was quiet for a long moment before he replied.

“My father took me fishing a few times. It was years ago, when I was a small child. I was never as good as my sister or my brother though.”

“You must have learnt well if you can still do it now.”

Euiwoong didn’t say anything. His face tensed and he didn’t even breathe for a few long moments before he very carefully pulled upwards on the rod and reeled the line quickly. This fish was much bigger than the ones already in the bucket and it convulsed on the line as it attempted to flop back to freedom. Euiwoong instructed Hyungseob to grab the net and he lowered the line into the net and unhooked the fish from the line. Euiwoong took the net from Hyungseob and when the fish stopped flailing around so much, he deposited it in the bucket with the others.

“I didn’t learn at all. I researched how to do it on the internet before we came on this trip,” Euiwoong said with a grin.

“Oh,” Hyungseob said. He hoped that he didn’t sound disappointed. In fact, it was more impressive that Euiwoong had learnt how to fish just from reading something on the internet. There was no way that Hyungseob could ever have done the same. “You’re very well prepared.”

Euiwoong nodded. He said, “Thanks, Hyung.”

Hyungseob hadn’t specifically meant it as a compliment. He was surprised. It was fine that Euiwoong was grinning happily, pretending not to be affected by Hyungseob’s words. It was sort of cute that such simple words meant so much to Euiwoong.

Euiwoong caught a few more fish, and Hyungseob pretended to be useful as the sounds of splashing and laughing grew more distant. The others would certainly be hungry before long. Or hungrier. They were all hungry thanks to Justin and Seunghyuk. They would all be much hungrier after so much activity. Hyungseob looked into the bucket at the handful of fish inside.

“How will we cook the fish if we can’t build a fire?” Hyungseob asked.

“Sashimi,” Euiwoong grinned.

“Can you make sashimi?” Hyungseob asked. He didn’t really believe it, but there was a chance someone with more money than sense elected to bring a special set of knives.

“I can’t, Hyung,” Euiwoong said, shaking his head with mild disappointment. It must have been a joke. “I think we will do better at making the fire tonight.”

 

Euiwoong was right. They eventually did get a fire going that was strong enough to grill the fish. Justin and Seunghyuk’s punishment for eating all the snacks the night before was the cut and clean the fish - a job that they did surprisingly well under Euiwoong’s instruction.

Hyungseob felt happy. His belly was full of grilled fish and ramen that they had all cooked and eaten together. This seemed more like the intention behind the trip. They were all contributing and there was nobody to get annoyed at. They must all have been happy, full of food and warmed by flames.

“Today was so much fun,” Justin mumbled sleepily as he started to sag into Seunghyuk’s lap. Of course Justin found the day fun because all he had done was play and eat. Hyungseob supposed that Justin had distributed the ramen in bowls and ensured he had the most for himself.

Hyungseob glanced at Euiwoong. Euiwoong didn’t look tired at all considering all the work he had put in. When he noticed Hyungseob’s gaze, he smiled.

“Did you think today was fun?” Euiwoong asked.

That was a difficult question. Fun things involved being indoors with air conditioning and iced drinks and having internet access. But he supposed being immersed in nature was fun to some people. He knew that people like Justin, Euiwoong, and Jungjung liked spending time outdoors to play sports, but Hyungseob wasn’t a fan. He supposed it was interesting, watching Euiwoong work and occasionally helping out.

The day was different to what Hyungseob usually enjoyed. He didn’t hate it thought.

“It was fun,” Hyungseob said. Euiwoong nodded.

“Good. I’m glad that you could have a good day too.”

Just a bit further around the campfire, Jungjung was tipping his head onto Seunghyuk’s shoulder and stroking his fingers through Justin’s hair. Seunghyuk was muttering something quietly that made Jungjung laugh. It looked nice, physical closeness. Ordinarily, Hyungseob was all about being tactile. It was comforting and it just made him happy. He wanted to flop down onto Euiwoong and demand attention, but it seemed like too much of a bother. Euiwoong had already worked so hard today that it wouldn’t be fair to make him do this too.

“Are you alright, Hyung?” Euiwoong asked. His voice was too close and Hyungseob jumped as the puff of air against his ear.

“Yes, of course,” Hyungseob said. He hoped that he was smiling as widely as he thought he was. Euiwoong didn’t look so sure but he nodded as though he agreed. It seemed silly to say it now, but the quiet was unsettling. “You are really cool, Euiwoong.”

Euiwoong grinned at that.

“I’m cool, Hyung?”

“That’s right,” Hyungseob said. “We wouldn’t have eaten today if it wasn’t for you. Everyone else only wanted to play, but you caught fish, and instructed us when building the fire, and told us how to cook.”

Hyungseob doubted that Seunghyuk would have thought to season the fish with salt and wrap it in foil. Their meal could have been a lot blander. Their breakfast too, the fish that Euiwoong had set aside and reasoned that it would be good to eat first thing in the morning.

“Is that cool?” Euiwoong asked. “Not being tall and good looking?”

“You’re very good looking, Woong,” Hyungseob said. Euiwoong looked surprised with the speed of Hyungseob’s response but, even before this camping trip, Hyungseob wouldn’t have denied the reality of Euiwoong’s face. Surely Euiwoong knew that he was good looking. There were no shortage of mirrors when they were at home.

Euiwoong looked away. “Is that enough to be cool?”

“You saved us,” Hyungseob frowned. “That is more than enough to be considered cool.”

Euiwoong didn’t say anything. He kept staring at the fire. Hyungseob really did think that Euiwoong was cool. “Are you just trying to make me say nice things about you? Surely you already know that you are cool.”

“Hyung,” Euiwoong protested a bit too cutely. “Why would I be doing that?”

Hyungseob squinted at Euiwoong. He couldn’t help but be suspicious, especially not when Euiwoong was suddenly acting cute when the subject had been brought up. “You can’t trick me, Euiwoong.”

“Hyung,” Euiwoong said sadly. “Are you saying that I am untrustworthy? That’s not very cool of you.”

“Nobody said that I was cool in the first place.”

Euiwoong grinned and nodded. “Hyung, you’re right. You aren’t cool at all.”

Hyungseob shoved Euiwoong’s shoulder but he only laughed loudly. It was a nice sound. Euiwoong should only have to laugh instead of ensuring order around them all. Hyungseob supposed that, just this once, he didn’t mind Euiwoong laughing at his expense.

“If I was cool all the time, nobody would pay any attention to you,” Hyungseob said. Nobody would appreciate his magnanimity unless he highlighted it himself.

“Who has been telling you these vicious lies, Hyung?”

“Lies?”

Euiwoong shuffled closer and gently patted Hyungseob on the head. “That’s right. Some evil people must have been filling your pretty little head with so many lies. How could anybody think you were cool enough to take attention from me?”

Hyungseob slapped the hand away and for a moment there was an apology on Euiwoong’s lips. Hyungseob quickly reached out and pinched Euiwoong’s cheeks roughly enough that Euiwoong whined pitifully - not cool at all.

“Hyung!”

“That’s not good enough,” Hyungseob jeered. “I want a real apology!”

Euiwoong eventually managed to free his face from Hyungseob’s pincer-grip and rubbed tenderly at his cheeks. “I will never apologise to you.”

Euiwoong only laughed when Hyungseob huffed. It was alright to go to sleep after that. Hyungseob was the first to go into their tent, surprised that even Justin (who was practically asleep outside) had outlasted him. Once in his sleeping bag, it was difficult not to laugh when he heard Euiwoong loudly complaining to the others outside about having such a temperamental person among them.

 

 

* 

 

After breakfast – something that wouldn’t have been possible without Euiwoong setting aside some of the fish he caught the night before and relighting the fire as soon as he woke – it was agreed that they would go on a hike. It was decided by Euiwoong, but Hyungseob didn’t mind it. They were supposed to enjoy the great outdoors while they were exiled to it.

Jungjung was happily bounding ahead and running back to Euiwoong’s side. He was like a giant, over-exuberant dog. Justin even patted Jungjung’s head gently and Jungjung laughed before running through the trees. He slipped over on a patch of decomposing leaves and stayed on the floor until Seunghyuk and Hyungseob helped him up.

“Be careful,” Jungjung warned.

“Will you be careful too, Hyung?” Euiwoong asked.

“I will,” Jungjung agreed, seconds before sprinting to hide behind a tree.

“People are going to notice if we don’t bring him back, aren’t they,” Hyungseob muttered. Seunghyuk looked surprised for a moment before shoving at Hyungseob’s shoulder.

“That is so mean.”

“Isn’t it mean of him to make us worry like this?” Hyungseob asked.

“I don’t believe that a single bone in your body knows what it is like to be concerned about Jungjung-hyung,” Seunghyuk said.

“Like you know better? Is your skeleton made out of the concern you show for Jungjung-hyung?”

Seunghyuk took a moment, as though he was really pondering Hyungseob’s words before he replied, “That’s right. I love that hyung like he is my own son.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Hyungseob said. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Huh? Are you mocking the love between a man and his child?” Seunghyuk asked as he pinched Hyungseob’s side. Hyungseob wasn’t going to stand for that so he scampered away to safety before making his reply.

Except safety wasn’t that safe at all. Hyungseob had hardly realised that he had slipped over until he was on the floor and he heard the call of his name. Attempting to stand up proved to be a mistake and Hyungseob hissed at the pain in his ankle.

“Hyung, are you alright?” Euiwong was the first to reach Hyungseob and instantly had hands on him as though he was checking for every possible ailment.

“I just twisted my ankle a bit,” Hyungseob said.

“You don’t sound fine,” Euiwoong said, frowning as he gingerly removed Hyungseob’s shoes and socks.

“There is no need to go this far,” Hyungseob said, hoping that he sounded more as though he was fine as the others gathered around him. Euiwoong was already digging through his bag for a bottle of water to pass to Hyungseob. He already had a cool pack and some bandages by the time Hyungseob realised he was supposed to drink the water.

“We can take a break for around ten minutes - please don’t drop your foot, we need to keep it elevated to reduce swelling - and then we can take you back to camp so you can rest properly,” Euiwoong said. Already he was directing the others and ignoring Hyungseob’s insistence that he was fine. Even when Hyungseob tried to move, Euiwoong slapped him on the leg and threatened him with worse action if he dared to move his foot from Euiwoong’s lap.

Of course it would be Hyungseob who would ruin the trip. He had hoped his bad luck had come to an end after almost being eaten alive by ants. He was clearly wrong, being humiliated for a second time for no good reason. If Hyungseob looked where he was going, or he had stronger ankles, he wouldn’t be pathetically lying around while Euiwoong timed the break on his watch.

When the time was up, Euiwoong wrapped bandages from Hyungseob’s toes to his knee and looked up, puzzled.

“Where is Seunghyuk-hyung?” Euiwoong muttered. He called out loudly, and Justin joined in to shout for him. Hyungseob didn’t bother. This was embarrassing enough. Surely it was better for as few people to see this as possible. When Hyungseob posed this to Euiwoong, his response was a frown. “We need to get you back quickly so we can properly assess the damage. I don’t think I can do that on my own.”

The furrow in Euiwoong’s brow was growing deeper. It was all Hyungseob’s fault. It was nice that Euiwoong was dependable, but it wasn’t so nice that Euiwoong was worrying so much because of him.

“Why can’t you carry me?” Hyungseob asked. “Am I too heavy? Are you calling me fat?”

Justin looked down at Hyungseob warily and took a few steps away to call Seunghyuk’s name again.

“I wouldn’t say that you are fat,” Euiwoong denied quickly. Hyungseob raised his eyebrows in challenge and threw out his arms.

“If I’m not fat, you will carry me!”

“I don’t think that is a very good idea, Hyung.”

“What? I’ll break your back, will I? Are you trying to make me cry?”

“I never said that.”

The tension in Euiwoong’s expression only relaxed when Hyungseob wailed loudly, covering his eyes to hide the lack of tears. Euiwoong shoved Hyungseob’s shoulder roughly.

“I was getting worried that I had really upset you.”

Hyungseob grinned at Euiwoong’s reproach. “You wouldn’t be so worried if you were less serious all the time,” Hyungseob sniffed. Euiwoong wasn’t serious all the time, but he had been ever since they came on this trip. It was a lot easier to play around before. Hyungseob had never noticed so many occasions where Euiwoong was so unhappy. But Euiwoong looked surprised to hear that he was serious.

“I’m not always serious.”

“We’ll see,” Hyungseob said.

“What does that mean?” Euiwoong asked. Hyungseob elected not to answer that.

Seunghyuk and Jungjung eventually reappeared and Hyungseob was stuck pretending not to be ashamed at having to be carried half a mile over unforgiving terrain. By the time they arrived back at their camp, everyone else was sweating horribly from taking turns in carrying Hyungseob in the most ungraceful ways possible. Being carried was just as much of a struggle and Hyungseob’s hair was sticking to his forehead and he kept being attacked by bugs because he had already run out of insect repellent yesterday.

It was good to finally arrive at camp and not have to move - or try to mentally reduce his weight by ten kilos so he was a bit easier to carry. Hyungseob’s foot didn’t even hurt that much any more, and even within the tight restraint of the bandages he had a good range of movement.

“We only have a day and a half left,” Hyungseob said cheerily. “I will be easily able to cope if I am more careful.”

Justin was assigned the duty of keeping Hyungseob’s foot elevated and his method involved pinching Hyungseob’s leg each time he moved it. It wasn’t fair because it was difficult to have a civilised conversation whilst barely able to sit up. He could raise his leg or he could sit up, it was unfair that he was being penalised simply because he was unable (mostly unwilling, but he hoped his injury would give him a pass) to do both.

“It is good that you are better,” Jungjung said. “Seunghyuk even cried because of you.”

“I did not cry!” Seunghyuk said indignantly. He frowned and didn't say anything. Hyungseob knew that if anyone else had accused Seunghyuk of crying, they would have been hit already. Hyungseob knew that but he still found himself joining the teasing.

“I never knew you cared for me!”

“Shut up!” Seunghyuk said hotly. He even slapped Hyungseob’s arm three times because he was horrid.

Despite his injuries, Hyungseob supposed he didn't mind that Seunghyuk was being the same as usual. There was nothing terribly wrong and his twisted ankle was already feeling much better. He was more wounded by the fuss he had kicked up when he fell and had to be carried.

Hyungseob looked over his shoulder and Euiwoong was exactly where he had been since they returned to the campsite. He was still organising the first aid kit, though it wasn't a job which required that much care at this point.

“Woong, aren’t you going to fuss over me too?” Hyungseob asked loudly. Euiwoong flinched and slowly shuffled around to offer a smile.

“Of course, Hyung. Are you alright?” Euiwoong asked with a tight smile. Hyungseob shook his head.

“No. I am not getting anywhere near enough attention. Come closer, Woong.”

Euiwoong pulled a face so Hyungseob opened his arms and gestured for Euiwoong to approach. Justin pinched Hyungseob’s leg and pushed him down. He said, “Please sleep, Hyung.”

“I don’t want to sleep!” Hyungseob protested as he tried to sit up. He wasn’t even going to bother pointing out that sleeping and lying down weren’t different as he struggled.

“He isn’t listening,” Justin noted dourly. Jungjung scrambled over to hold down Hyungseob’s shoulders while he forcefully repeated that Hyungseob should sleep. This was too much attention, and not at all the type of attention that he wanted!

Hyungseob’s situation only worsened when Seunghyuk took advantage of Hyungseob’s incapacitation and tickled his ribs while cheering, “Sleep, sleep, sleep!”

“Woong! Help!” Hyungseob cried.

Euiwoong didn’t do very much to help. He only patted Hyungseob on the head and smiled. “Hyung, you are supposed to be resting instead of playing around like this.”

“I am going to hurt you a lot when I am free!” Hyungseob declared breathlessly.

“Your words are already hurting me,” Euiwoong said without a trace of emotion over the chanting of ‘sleep!’ from the other three.

 

 

 

The campfire had been more successful than ever with them managing an acceptable flame within twenty minutes. The five of them were all happily warm while they split ramen between them.

Hyungseob was sure that his ankle was completely healed at this point. But it was nice to be able to do his best to luxuriate with his leg resting across Euiwoong’s lap. Despite not having eaten a large meal, and being tired and uncomfortable, Hyungseob was happy that everyone had allowed him to hit them, once each, for being evil to him earlier.

The other three were sleeping on the other side of the campfire. The flames flickered rapidly in the breeze and the wavering shadows on their faces were the only thing to disturb the perfect stillness of them nestled together.

Beside Hyungseob, Euiwoong looked wide awake. Even at a time like this he never seemed able to unwind.

Hyungseob remembered the conversation the night before. He had ended up feeling sorry for Euiwoong (if it was even possible for him to have doubts about how cool and dependable he was) rather than the usual irritation from Euiwoong politely telling him what to do. It had certainly put things into perspective.

“Don't you want to sleep too?” Hyungseob asked quietly over the crackling of dry leaves curling in the heat of the campfire. maybe it was just the shadows, but Euiwoong looked exhausted when he looked at Hyungseob. He was much too young to be shouldering so much responsibility.

“We have to watch the fire and put it out when we are done,” Euiwoong said.

Hyungseob had forgotten about that. He had settled into his tent early for the previous two nights. He hadn't even considered how the task was completed before.

He pretended to be aware of what Euiwoong was telling him. “I know. I can do it for you.”

“Don't worry about it.”

That was tantamount to being told that he wasn't trusted to do it properly. Hyungseob couldn't be too offended because he knew that he wouldn't have done the job properly. It was for the best that Euiwoong had a sense of determination about these things.

“I will stay awake with you then,” Hyungseob decided. Euiwoong smiled. Or grimaced. It was difficult to tell when the shadows made it hard to see half of his face. They were quiet again, but Hyungseob didn't want to be. He said, “Are you feeling refreshed from the trip?”

Euiwoong didn't answer for a while. He must not have wanted to talk. That was fine too. Hyungseob could be quiet. He could keep his mouth shut and let Euiwoong enjoy the peace of the mountains with nothing to disturb them. Euiwoong deserved peace, so Hyungseob tried very hard to let him have it.

But it proved to be tough. He yawned loudly, and said, “It is very peaceful here.”

“The trip to has been more exhausting than I thought it would be,” Euiwoong confessed quietly. Hyungseob tried not to look so stunned, but maybe it wouldn't matter in the amber half-light.

“What do you mean?”

Euiwoong sighed. He shrugged. He said, “Fending for ourselves has been an interesting experience. But being so close to you is difficult.”

Hyungseob didn't like the sound of that. He had been hoping that becoming closer would be a good thing. Hyungseob was enjoying Euiwoong’s company more and more and he had hoped the feeling was mutual. Hyungseob was silly anyway. Of course Euiwoong wouldn't be looking at Hyungseob with the sort of affection Hyungseob had been craving increasingly since thinking they were settling more properly into the trip.

Hyungseob had his pride and help wasn't going to be petty and make it obvious that his feelings had been hurt. He said, “I understand. a lot of people struggle to be close to a face this beautiful without falling in love with me.”

It was the sort of joke which was expected of Hyungseob at this point. Euiwoong didn't laugh.

Euiwoong said, “Yeah.”

Hyungseob had no idea what that was supposed to mean. Euiwoong’s expression gave nothing away. Hyungseob’s neck prickled and he scratched it quickly in case it was another spider. Euiwoong’s fingers brushed Hyungseob’s away and he stroked his fingertips over the back of Hyungseob’s neck.

“Hyung, have you been bitten again?” Euiwoong asked. His eyes were locked on the movement of his own fingers. Hyungseob wanted to know what it meant. He needed to know what it meant.

“I haven’t,” Hyungseob guessed. Rather than the irritation from a bite, the itch on his neck felt more reminiscent of general discomfort. Euiwoong’s fingers fell away, drawing a tender line down Hyungseob’s spine. He finally looked at Hyungseob’s face.

“I wish you had been.”

“Why would you wish for me to be bitten?”

Euiwoong tilted his head, almost callow. “It would be another excuse, Hyung.”

“An excuse? What would you need an excuse for?”

Shadows danced across Euiwoong’s hands as he gazed down at them. He looked preoccupied as he clenched his hand into a fist before unfurling his fingers slowly. He held at Hyungseob’s wrist and demonstrated the action again with his free hand a few times. Hyungseob followed the action, making a loose fist with his hand and stretching it out once more. Euiwoong slid their palms together and made their fingers interlock.

“Hyung, I am always looking for excuses,” Euiwoong muttered absent-mindedly.

“Euiwoong?”

Hyungseob was getting sleepy. His eyes couldn’t see as well as he wanted them to in the slowly fading firelight. He leaned a bit closer and Euiwoong’s gaze snapped up. Hyungseob felt his own eyes widen and he wondered whether Euiwoong was able to see too much in them.   

It seemed Euiwoong could see a lot in Hyungseob’s eyes. He leaned close enough that Hyungseob had to hold his breath. Hyungseob was going cross-eyed with Euiwoong so close so it was better for him to close his eyes. He was already tired. He didn’t need the eye-strain on top of that. There was a wash of breath over his lips, over his cheek. Hyungseob stayed very still. He waited.

“Just eat the leaves!”

Hyungseob jolted at the sound. He actually tumbled over and unfortunately Euiwoong had seen, his eyes wide as they were locked with Hyungseob’s. Hyungseob scrambled up, hoping that he didn’t look at all like his chest was heaving as his heart raced. He looked at the other side of the fire and saw Justin groggily rubbing his eyes.

“What was that sound?” Justin asked. Euiwoong was still frozen in place and Jungjung and Seunghyuk were beginning to sir. Hyungseob swallowed down his heart and hoped it would remain in its proper place in his chest for the rest of his life.

“That was you, Justin,” Hyungseob said. His voice was trembling a bit. He wasn’t scared. Or he was scared and that was a better answer than dwelling on whatever was happening with Euiwoong.

Justin continued rubbing his eyes and stared uncomprehendingly at Hyungseob. Jungjung smacked Justin’s arm roughly. “Too scary!”

Justin still didn’t seem to understand, even as Seunghyuk climbed to his feet and dragged him towards their tent.

“Woongie is public arrest,” Jungjung said solemnly. Or that was what it sounded like. Hyungseob agreed without asking for clarification that was normally supplied after a few repetitions to Seunghyuk.

“We should go to sleep,” Hyungseob said. Jungjung nodded and said something else unintelligible as he prodded at Euiwoong. The three of them put out the fire with water and stirred up the embers with soil, Jungjung decided it was time to retire.

“Sleep well,” Jungjung whispered as he hugged them both. He disappeared into the giant tent, unzipping and zipping the door noisily.

Hyungseob was fairly certain that Euiwoong was about to kiss him. If Justin hadn’t yelled in his sleep for the first time in his life, Euiwoong would have kissed Hyungseob. He had squeezed his eyes shut and not done anything to encourage the possibility, but Hyungseob probably would have liked it.

Euiwoong was still swiping his hand through the fire pit. When teaching the group about fire safety had said before that this was to ensure no heat remained, but he had never mentioned that it would take this long. Only the two of them remained in the dark and Hyungseob wondered when Euiwoong would be satisfied tonight.

“Shall we go inside, Euiwoong?” Hyungseob asked. Euiwoong flinched at the sound. He didn’t turn around - not that it would have done any good in the dark with the torches still inside the tent - and his voice was quiet when he spoke.

“You go in first, Hyung.”

“Goodnight,” Hyungseob said. He wanted to reach out, but he thought better of it. His voice had been enough to make Euiwoong flinch. Hyungseob would feel terrible if his touch elicited an even worse reaction.

Hyungseob changed into his pyjamas quickly and pretended to be dozing in his sleeping bag for a long time. Euiwoong didn’t come into the tent before Hyungseob fell asleep.

 

* 

 

Hyungseob managed to avoid doing anything that would count as work on their last full day. Without even having to pretend that he could only hobble about, Jungjung seemed to have volunteered to be Hyungseob’s servant for a few hours.

“You don’t have to try and feed me,” Hyungseob said as Jungjung dabbed at the corner of Hyungseob’s mouth. They were all going to be suffering from rickets by the time they got home. Hyungseob missed vegetables. And cheese. He still opened his mouth obligingly when Jungjung instructed him to do so. Jungjung smiled while Hyungseob chewed the ramen that had been made for brunch.

“Is your belly full?” Jungjung asked after the noodles were finished. Hyungsoeb couldn’t have been satisfied by something like that. Already his bones and muscles were creaking from the lack of vitamins. When he returned home he would eat nothing but vegetables and meat until his body felt hale again. Until then, he wouldn’t say no to seconds.

“My belly is still a bit empty,” Hyungseob said, pitifully rubbing his tummy for emphasis.

“Euiwoong!” Jungjung called.

“No more,” Euiwoong said firmly.

“But Seoppie is sick!”

“Hyung, you haven’t even eaten yet,” Euiwoong said, frowning down at the bowl in his own hands.

“You’re right,” Jungjung nodded solemnly. He picked up the bowl that had been served out for him to eat and held it in front of Hyungseob’s face. “More!”

“I can’t eat that,” Hyungseob said quickly. Jungjung hadn’t even had a mouthful himself. Hyungseob doubted that anybody had plans to build a fire before the evening to make more which would have meant Jungjung would hardly have eaten anything for a whole day. There was no way Huungseob could accept that.

“But, Seoppie, you’re hungry!”

Hyungseob stretched his arms above his head, exaggerating the motion before putting on a surprised face. He said, “Stretching made the food fill the gaps.”

“You’re lying.”

“I can’t lie to you, Hyung.”

“You lie all the time,” Jungjung claimed. “You’re lying!”

Hyungseob was about to tell another of his allegedly constant lies by refuting the statement when Euiwoong stomped over from where he had been sitting beside the fire. He shoved his bowl at Hyungseob and muttered, “I am done with mine, so you can both eat.”

Euiwoong turned on his heel and gathered up the empty bowls from Hyungseob, Seunghyuk, and Justin, as well as the pot that their brunch was cooked in, and carried them off.

“He is cool,” Jungjung said before happily slurping at his own bowlful of food.

Hyungseob waited until Jungjung was finished before he went in search of Euiwoong. He hadn’t had the heart to eat Euiwoong’s leftovers. It wasn’t fair for him to have to go hungry. But they would have been cold by the time Jungjung had finished, so he had to eat them. Hyungseob ate them, but he made sure not to enjoy them so that Euiwoong would know that he cared.

Euiwoong was scrubbing at the pots with vigour on the riverbank, but he still noticed Hyungseob’s approach.

“You shouldn’t be walking!” Euiwoong shouted as he rushed over to aid Hyungseob. He didn’t really need the help but he didn’t reject the arm slipped around his waist.

They made their way slowly to sit beside the water and Euiwoong dropped the additional bowls besides the pot and bowls he was already washing.

“Give me your foot,” Euiwoong said, patting his lap. Hyungseob lifted his leg onto Euiwoong’s lap. It was still early so there hadn't been much of an opportunity for them to talk since they almost kissed. Not that Hyungseob was overly keen on discussing it.

“Didn’t you want any help today?”

Euiwoong rolled his eyes. “After Seunghyuk almost drowned yesterday I thought it best to do this alone.”

Euiwoong was exaggerating, but Hyungseob wouldn’t have trusted Seunghyuk and Jungjung to do the job properly in the first place. The only person he would have trusted was Euiwoong, but it wasn’t fair to make him do everything alone.

Hyungseob reached for one of the bowls and the sorry looking sponge that Euiwoong had been using before. Euiwoong slapped his hands away.

“What are you doing?”

“I am trying to help.”

“Don’t you dare,” Euiwoong warned.

“What?”

“You have to rest, Hyung,” Euiwoong said sagely.

“I’m resting. Me helping you isn’t going to hurt any more than doing nothing,” Hyungseob reasoned.

Euiwoong huffed a bit but Hyungseob caught him smiling as he dried the pots.

 

 

“Are you asleep?”

Hyungseob was not asleep. He wasn’t sure if letting Euiwoong know that was the right decision. There had been a shift somewhere along the weekend. When they returned home, things would be different. At home they would be Hyungseob and Euiwoong, just like the used to be instead of this ‘short team’ HyungseobandEuiwoong. The spaces would exist again and Hyungseob would be able to think more clearly and normally about things.

He was aware of the roots in his mind which had grown too deep but, as long as he didn’t feed the thoughts too well, he was sure that returning home would fix things and the silliness would wilt away. Hyungseob couldn’t wait to have a clear mind again.

“Hyung, I know you’re not sleeping,” Euiwoong said. Hyungseob still didn’t respond, and he added, “You know you snore, don’t you?”

“I do not snore!” Hyungseob replied indignantly, sitting up in his sleeping bag to squint through the darkness at Euiwoong. He knew that he had been baited, and he knew that it was easy to do so, but he supposed he didn’t mind it much. For just one night, it mightn’t be so bad to indulge his own silliness and respond.

For all his curiosity, Euiwoong didn’t say anything to Hyungseob’s denial. There was one way to remedy that. Hyungseob shuffled blindly though all of his scattered clothes until his hands knocked solidly against his torch. He pointed the torch where he assumed Euiwoong’s head as and switched it on.

Euiwoong was not where Hyungseob expected him to be. Instead, millimetres separated the tips of their noses and Hyungseob would have thought he would have been able to sense him if he was that close.

Hyungseob blinked but Euiwoong was still right there. He exhaled shakily and Euiwoong licked his lips. These roots were different but the same. These roots were from a seed that had been planted far more recently, just a day ago rather than years ago when they first met, but they were weaved no less thoroughly through Hyungseob’s consciousness.

This was so similar to the night before, as they had been the last two awake at the campfire. Euiwoong was too close and Hyungseob wished that he was closer.

“You were quiet,” Hyungseob said. His voice splintered out of his throat and when he winced at the sound, his nose bumped into Euiwoong’s cheek. He didn’t like this. He didn’t like this at all. It wasn’t fair.

“Hyung,” Euiwoong said in a low voice. This really wasn’t fair. For Euiwoong to have a voice which made the hairs at the back of Hyungseob’s neck stand on end.

“You surprised me,” Hyungseob said redundantly. He hated this. He hated how worked up he was already from being alone in the tent together, how the tension would dissipate and Hyungseob would be left trying to ignore the tightening of his chest all on his own.

Euiwoong’s fingers curled around Hyungseob’s elbow. It was too much. It was way too much. It became so much more with the brush of Euiwoong’s nose against Hyungseob’s shoulder and the press of his lips against the pulse point on Hyungseob’s neck. Hyungseob tried not to think about any of that. But when he didn’t think about that, he couldn’t help but notice how his hand trembled around the torch he was holding. He could only hope that the three in the other tent could see it.

“Hyung, Hyung, Ahn Hyungseob-hyung,” Euiwoong muttered like a mantra he had cultivated in his heart. He pressed more and more kisses against Hyungseob’s neck and each drag of his mouth pushed heat further and further forwards in Hyungseob’s eyes.

“Euiwoong.” Hyungseob swallowed against the sinews of the syllable which still remained after the name tore from his throat. Euiwoong sat up and looked Hyungseob dead in the eye. For a moment, Hyungseob wondered what they were doing, whether this moment would stretch on and on without any hope of escape for him. Euiwoong’s hand wrapped securely around Hyungseob’s and the trembling stopped.

“What’s the matter?”

“I don’t think we should do this,” Hyungseob said.

Euiwoong’s eyebrows drew together and his jaw tensed but in a moment he had swallowed down whatever emotion that was. He cleared his throat and his hand tightened around Hyungseob’s.

“What reason do you have to say that? Did I mistake what your affections mean?” Euiwoong asked. Hyungseob wished that he had so much composure to keep his voice steady even when sniffing against the tell-tale tingle in his nose. He couldn’t say anything in response and Euiwoong sat back on his heels. “Hyung, I apologise. I hope that when we return home you won’t look at me strangely.”

“Woong,” Hyungseob whined. “Is that it? You were playing with me all along?”

Euiwoong’s eyes widened and he shook his head slowly. “I’m not playing!”

“You are playing, Woong!” Hyungseob said. He sounded pitifully childish but he couldn’t care about that when they hadn’t even returned home before Euiwoong was reversing everything. “I only wanted a moment. One moment, Woong, and already you have had enough of me?”

“That’s not it, Hyung,” Euiwoong said, spreading his hands in front of himself as though he needed to calm Hyungseob. “I think there has been a misunderstanding, but you should lower your voice.”

“Why? Because you don’t want the others to know how you have been playing with me for days?”

Euiwoong sighed, exasperated, and Hyungseob envied just how level-headed one person could be.

Until Euiwoong’s hands were holding Hyungseob’s face steady as he planted his mouth right on Hyungseob’s trembling lips. There was not a seed of finesse in the action. The kiss wasn’t much, just the too-rough press of mouths, but it was everything that Hyungseob had been waiting for.

Euiwoong pulled back, panting, his hands still so certain at the sides of Hyungseob’s face, and said, “Does this look like playing to you?”

It didn’t look like playing at all, but Hyungseob was still having trouble. He might have been oxygen-starved from the seconds they had spent with joined mouths. He blinked at Euiwoong, and it was still real. The shadows on his face swayed precariously as the torch Hyungseob had been holding rolled uselessly on the floor of the tent.

“You’re beautiful, Woong,” Hyungseob said.

Euiwoong frowned, but within a moment he was smiling bashfully. “Hyung, don’t say silly things. Now it sounds like you’re playing with me.”

“How could I be playing when you are the only thing I have been able to think about for days?”

Euiwoong raised his eyebrows, his expression turning cheekier. “Is that why you were so bad at fishing, and building a campfire, and walking without breaking your ankle?”

Hyungseob couldn’t even roll his eyes at that. It was as good an excuse as any. It was better than admitting that he was so genuinely inept at things Euiwoong could do easily. But Hyungseob was unsure that it was an excuse that he wanted to take.

“If you promise that you like me, you should kiss me again.”

“Should I?” Euiwoong asked. “But how do I know if you like me back?”

Hyungseob was unsure about that. He liked Euiwoong. The feeling had settled comfortably in his chest now that it seemed it was mutual. He wanted that to be enough.

“How about,” Euiwoong suggested in a quiet voice, “I tell you how much I like you. If you return any of my feelings at all, you can kiss me. That way we will both know.”

Affection for Euiwoong bloomed anew in Hyungseob’s chest. He was nervous, because initiating a kiss at a time like this was scary. Before long they would return home and the feelings that they both developed while camping might not react so well to a different climate - more people to interfere, more obstacles between them seeing each other, less excuses to be so close for hours and hours without purpose. If Hyungseob had to initiate a kiss - a real kiss - when he was so close to potential disappointment, he would need courage to sprout between his ribs quickly.

“Hyung, I have always thought that you were something of a brat.”

Every twist of nervousness curled up and died in an instant. Hyungseob didn’t have to worry about anything now. Hyungseob would very proudly - brattily even - keep his lips to himself and make sure that nobody ever kissed Lee Euiwoong for the rest of his life.

Euiwoong seemed to be unaware of his fate and carried on talking.

“You are so lazy about the strangest things, and you are childish in the worst way. If you suddenly matured overnight, I don’t think I would like it very much. I worry about you quite a lot and I am always expecting that you are in some sort of trouble.”

“Anything else?” Hyungseob asked. He hoped he sounded mean. He must have, because Euiwoong looked surprised.

“Hyung?”

“Why are you only saying horrible things about me?”

“I’m not,” Euiwoong claimed. “I really like you.”

“If you liked me you would say nice things. Oh, Hyungseob, you are so tall and graceful! You are the most handsome man I have seen in my life! You are such a dependable hyung! Your voice is like birdsong and your touch is like egyptian cotton!”

Euiwoong shushed him rudely. Hyungseob folded his arms over his chest. He was getting quite cross!

“Why would I say something like that?” Euiwoong hissed.

“That’s what you say to people you like.”

“But none of those things are true about you, Hyung.”

Hyungseob scoffed. This is how the differences between them became clear. Hyungseob clearly needed to educate such an impudent junior. Who knows how many other people would be offended by Euiwoong’s terrible personality.

“Whether or not those things are true doesn’t matter. It is what I want to hear. If you don’t say something nice about me, I will never kiss you and I will make it my life mission to ensure nobody else does either.”

Euiwoong looked away. The longer he stared at the abandoned torch, the more painful Hyungseob would make his revenge. He hadn’t warned Euiwoong, but this clearly deserved something in addition to never being kissed.

“Hyung, you are a bit of a brat. But you are also really earnest and considerate. I like having you around. For a while I have found myself looking to make sure that you are alright because when I know that you are well, I feel more confident about taking care of the others.”

“That sounds more like I am your right-hand man than anything,” Hyungseob grumbled.

“Is that a bad thing?”

“Is it normal for people to want to kiss their right-hand man?”

Euiwoong hesitated for a shade too long and Hyungseob started to climb back into his sleeping bag.

“If it isn’t normal it should be,” Euiwoong eventually said. “I want to kiss you, Hyung. I want to hold your hand and I want everyone to know how much I cherish you.”

“You aren’t doing very much cherishing right now.”

“Hyung, please,” Euiwoong whined, exasperated.

Hyungseob sighed. He supposed that the things Euiwoong said were nice enough.

“If I kiss you now,” Hyungseob said, squinting over the top of his sleeping bag, “You have to think of better things to say that will make me want to kiss you again.”

“Deal,” Euiwoong agreed. Hyungseob sighed, because Euiwoong can’t have been listening, judging from how quickly he agreed to the terms.

Hyungseob kissed Euiwoong because he was nice, and he had sort of wanted to do so in the first place.

It was a nice ending to the night.

 

* 

 

Packing away took the whole morning so there was hardly any time to do anything after the five of them split their last pack of ramen and washed up.

“Will you need help back to the carpark?” Euiwoong asked when they were preparing to set off. It was a bit late to ask that when everyone was laden with their luggage.

“I should be able to manage,” Hyungseob smiled. Euiwoong frowned and leaned closer so that the others wouldn’t hear as they struggled the read their way through the lists Euiwoong had prepared for them all.

“Hyung,” Euiwoong whispered, “I think you might need some help walking.”

“Why?”

Euiwoong huffed and grabbed Hyungseob’s hand. Hyungseob’s face felt hot. Euiwoong shouted to the others that they were setting off regardless of whether anybody had left anything behind.

“Euiwoong-hyung left his senses behind,” Justin remarked loudly. Seunghyuk laughed and patted him on the back.

Hyungseob wondered if maybe he was the one to have left his senses behind as he gripped Euiwoong’s hand even more tightly in his own. It was probably better this way though, he thought, as Euiwoong grinned up at him.

**Author's Note:**

> i spent far too long on this for it to be as lacking as it is TT but i hope that it isn't completely terrible


End file.
